The third book in his trilogy, Scott Westerfield continues Tally's story in Specials.
As predicted, Tally has been turned into a Special; however, as one of Shay's Cutters, she's a special Special. As the name suggests, the Cutters use self-mutilation as a way to stay "icy". Tally is unsatisfied as a Cutter since Zane is not a part of their group. Finding him crippled, Tally and Shay decide that if he escapes from New Pretty Town that Dr. Cable will have to make him Special. And to help him, they break into the Armory to find a cutting tool that will remove the tracking collar he has around his neck. Unfortunately, when they were discovered by the guard, Shay released nanos that ended up eating through the building, destroying it in the process.
After releasing Zane, Tally follows the Crims at a distance, staying undercover and helping them when they are nearly discovered. At the pickup point, Tally stows onboard and is taken to another City which has a more liberal point of view than the one Tally grew up in. For example, there are no standards for cosmetic surgery, so Tally is able to hide out in the open with her Special face. While there, she finds Fausto, a kidnapped Cutter that Shay had set out to find. However, he attempts to make Tally un-Special; in the escape, Tally winds up in a hospital where she is deemed a deadly weapon and is scheduled to be de-Specialized.
When Shay shows up to free Shay from the operation, she explains how Dr. Cable has declared war on the City, since she doesn't believe that the Crims or Smokies could have destroyed the Armory. The aftermath of Dr. Cable's revenge has left Zane brain-dead and Tally spends the next 3 days flying back to the Special Headquarters to turn herself in. Meeting David in the Ruins has strengthened her resolve to make things right, and he also gives her an antidote in case she changes her mind about being Special. Reaching HQ, Tally is tricked and trapped; but manages to slip Dr. Cable the antidote in the process. Due to her changed perspective, Dr. Cable ends up ruining her own position in the war and all of the Specials are de-Specialized. Just before Tally's operation, Dr. Cable saves her from the procedure and Tally runs off to the Ruins to meet up with David again.
In the end, all of Tally's friends become allies of the new movement; however, Tally is determined to keep them from becoming like the Rusties and has declared herself (and David) to be the enemy of their cause.
I liked the book and I think Tally matured in this story. And I liked how it ended, with Tally setting herself up as the antagonist. I know there's another story, Extras, which I'm assuming ties up the story, although the author could have let it end there.
The next story that I'm reading is Slaughterhouse Five by Kurt Vonnegut as part of the Banned Book Club.
Showing posts with label espionage. Show all posts
Showing posts with label espionage. Show all posts
Sunday, September 12, 2010
Saturday, May 22, 2010
The Secret History of the Pink Carnation
The Secret History of the Pink Carnation by Lauren Willig is a book within a book.
It starts out in contemporary times with Eloise Kelly, an Harvard grad student searching for information about the Purple Gentian for her dissertation "Aristocratic Espionage during the Wars with France: 1789-1815". However, her real passion lay with uncovering the true identity of the Pink Carnation. Luckily for her, a relation of the Purple Gentian had kept the correspondences and diaries of Lord Richard Selwick (the Purple Gentian) and Miss Amy Belacourt, a half French girl bent on joining the Purple Gentian's League.
Reading the papers, the focus shifts from Eloise's perspective to that of Amy and Richard. A chance meeting on a boat to cross the channel separating the French and English countries ignites a spark of interest between them that grows each time they encounter each other. Amy's discovery of Richard's work (he was Napoleon's Egypt Antiquities specialist) causes Amy to think of him as a traitor to the country; however, Richard decides that her dislike is for the best as it will prevent her from distracting him from his mission - which is to prevent Napoleon from invading England.
While hiding in her brother's study, Amy meets the masked Purple Gentian and offers help, without knowing that it is Richard. After that meeting, Richard is determined to keep her from his alter ego, but decides that courting her as himself is safe. Confused, Amy eventually discovers his true identity - after both her chaperone, Miss Gwen, and her beloved cousin, Jane, have figured it out.
In an attempt to thwart Amy from following him on a raid of Napoleon's treasure, Richard, as the Purple Gentian, repudiates her and breaks her heart in the process. So, after finding out who he really is, Amy and her cohorts decide to form the League of the Pink Carnation and to steal the treasure from the Purple Gentian. Unfortunately, Amy was captured and Richard was forced to reveal himself to the Assistant Minister of Police, Delaroche. A rescue was planned and executed, causing Richard and Amy to flee Paris for England.
At the end of the tale, Eloise finds out that there is more information to be found at Selwick Hall and agrees to a weekend jaunt with Colin Selwick, the current occupant of the hall. And the tale continues in the next book, The Masque of the Purple Tulip.
There's only one word to describe this book: cute. Or fun. They both work. The flavour of the stories as it switches between Richard and Amy to Eloise and Colin doesn't change. The bantering is equal in both, as is the behaviour between the couples. Since the relationship between Colin and Eloise develops much slower (being stretched out over the next several books), it will be interesting to see it play out in full as Eloise learns more about Colin's ancestors.
This book has been repeatedly referred to as chick lit, a genre that I had always associated with romance novels. Apparently the main difference is that the character's relationships with their family is just as important as their romantic relationship. Thank you, Wikipedia! And the other characters in this book are just as fun, especially Richard's family. Amy's brother is a deplorable toady (described as such several times), but Richard's family is warm, protective and hilarious. Jane, is refreshingly level headed, considering Amy's impulsiveness, and Miss Gwen is surprisingly romantic beneath her shrewish chaperone demeanour.
Like I said, it's cute and fun. I laughed, repeatedly, throughout the book at Amy's antics and the repertoire between the main characters. It is entirely fluffy and fictional, so if you are looking for a serious book based on historical events, you will be disappointed. But, if you're looking for brain candy, you will be well pleased. I really liked the story and will continue on with the series. And if Lauren Willig's other books have the same dialogue I will definitely venture into her other novels.
It starts out in contemporary times with Eloise Kelly, an Harvard grad student searching for information about the Purple Gentian for her dissertation "Aristocratic Espionage during the Wars with France: 1789-1815". However, her real passion lay with uncovering the true identity of the Pink Carnation. Luckily for her, a relation of the Purple Gentian had kept the correspondences and diaries of Lord Richard Selwick (the Purple Gentian) and Miss Amy Belacourt, a half French girl bent on joining the Purple Gentian's League.
Reading the papers, the focus shifts from Eloise's perspective to that of Amy and Richard. A chance meeting on a boat to cross the channel separating the French and English countries ignites a spark of interest between them that grows each time they encounter each other. Amy's discovery of Richard's work (he was Napoleon's Egypt Antiquities specialist) causes Amy to think of him as a traitor to the country; however, Richard decides that her dislike is for the best as it will prevent her from distracting him from his mission - which is to prevent Napoleon from invading England.
While hiding in her brother's study, Amy meets the masked Purple Gentian and offers help, without knowing that it is Richard. After that meeting, Richard is determined to keep her from his alter ego, but decides that courting her as himself is safe. Confused, Amy eventually discovers his true identity - after both her chaperone, Miss Gwen, and her beloved cousin, Jane, have figured it out.
In an attempt to thwart Amy from following him on a raid of Napoleon's treasure, Richard, as the Purple Gentian, repudiates her and breaks her heart in the process. So, after finding out who he really is, Amy and her cohorts decide to form the League of the Pink Carnation and to steal the treasure from the Purple Gentian. Unfortunately, Amy was captured and Richard was forced to reveal himself to the Assistant Minister of Police, Delaroche. A rescue was planned and executed, causing Richard and Amy to flee Paris for England.
At the end of the tale, Eloise finds out that there is more information to be found at Selwick Hall and agrees to a weekend jaunt with Colin Selwick, the current occupant of the hall. And the tale continues in the next book, The Masque of the Purple Tulip.
There's only one word to describe this book: cute. Or fun. They both work. The flavour of the stories as it switches between Richard and Amy to Eloise and Colin doesn't change. The bantering is equal in both, as is the behaviour between the couples. Since the relationship between Colin and Eloise develops much slower (being stretched out over the next several books), it will be interesting to see it play out in full as Eloise learns more about Colin's ancestors.
This book has been repeatedly referred to as chick lit, a genre that I had always associated with romance novels. Apparently the main difference is that the character's relationships with their family is just as important as their romantic relationship. Thank you, Wikipedia! And the other characters in this book are just as fun, especially Richard's family. Amy's brother is a deplorable toady (described as such several times), but Richard's family is warm, protective and hilarious. Jane, is refreshingly level headed, considering Amy's impulsiveness, and Miss Gwen is surprisingly romantic beneath her shrewish chaperone demeanour.
Like I said, it's cute and fun. I laughed, repeatedly, throughout the book at Amy's antics and the repertoire between the main characters. It is entirely fluffy and fictional, so if you are looking for a serious book based on historical events, you will be disappointed. But, if you're looking for brain candy, you will be well pleased. I really liked the story and will continue on with the series. And if Lauren Willig's other books have the same dialogue I will definitely venture into her other novels.
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